![Mayor Jammu, Rajinder Sharma with Dy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billawaria & Corporators at a press conference at Jammu on Wednesday. Mayor Jammu, Rajinder Sharma with Dy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billawaria & Corporators at a press conference at Jammu on Wednesday.](https://cdndailyexcelsior.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/page3-4-8.jpg)
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 12: Mayor Jammu, Rajinder Sharma today asked all the councilors of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) to visit their respective wards and identify the genuine and deserving people for widow and old age pension and submit their cases to him so that they can be forwarded to higher authorities for sanction of pension.
Talking to reporters here, today, along with Deputy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billawaria and chairman Public Health, Swachh Baharat and Social Justice Committee, Arun Khanna, Gopal Gupta and Subash Sharma respectively, Mayor said for a long time people in Jammu city were facing problems in getting their pension. He said a delegation of councilors led by him recently called on Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha at Sringar and discussed the issue threadbare with him. The LG while listening the issue gave full assurance to solve the problem, he added.
Mayor said in payment of pension to old aged persons, widows etc there were certain complicated conditions to be filled up owing to which people especially old aged persons having over 65 years of age were facing problems in documentation as the pension would be only given to that person who is holding PHH Ration Card.
He said suppose in a well to do family the bread earner dies and that family has no source of income now. The widow is dependent on family pension for her survival but having no PHH card she is not entitled to pension under the norms, he added.
Likewise if a son having a good earning does not look after his mother or old aged father what support they have in their old age for their survival except the old age pension.
Mayor said as this was a serious issue it needed to be looked into. The delegation brought these issues in the notice of LG who issued on spot orders of sorting out the problems.
He said in view of the LG’s instructions to officers to settle the issue, the councilors need to go in their respective wards and identify the people who are deserving old age and widow pension. They should forward the cases to him so that he can submit the same to concerned quarters for sanction of pension.
Mayor also complimented he Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta for his support and cooperation in settling this issue. He reiterated that he as well as all councilors of JMC are working for the public welfare and are always at the disposal of the people.
The Corportators who were present in the press conference included Kapil Chib, Surjit Singh, Anil Kumar and Ashok Singh Manhas.